For some reason, I haven't attended a church meeting for a long time.
A few days ago, I received a phone call from a senior female Christian (accountant) from the church I often went to.
She said sincerely, "Brother Zhao! I hope you can go back to church because I am afraid that you will slowly drift away from the Lord and lose the blessings of heaven because of your frequent absence from gatherings." In order to persuade me, that elderly believer told me the story of her family.
She said that her family was quite comfortable. She and her husband had high pensions, and her son was also working for a state-owned company. But she never expected that her son would make some shady friends who would make him addicted to drugs. Not only did he lose his job, but his young wife left their child and went away without any message. Her young grandson was left in the care of her and her husband, who died soon after. Her disappointed son became more self-abandoned and often went out, and once he was gone for a long time, no one was able to contact him. The grief-stricken senior woman, in desperation, started to believe in the Lord.
She kept praying for her son, who had not been heard from, but finally, she got the news, which was not a good one. It was a call from the police. Her son had been arrested and might face charges for a variety of issues, including drug use. Worse, the aged Christian also learned that her son had already mortgaged her house to the bank for a loan.
The sudden succession of bad news was too much for her to bear. She got down on her knees and begged for a change.
She hoped that her son's situation would get better and that her grandson would have someone to care for. Because she is almost 80 years old, if one day she dies, who will care for her teenage grandson?
Thinking of this, she could not help crying and praying. Soon, there was good news. Her daughter-in-law, who had been gone for a long time, showed up to take her son away. Her prodigal son also finally turned back. Although her son had been sentenced to be jailed for many years (there might not be a reunion day for her and her son in this life), it has made her very grateful to see her son start over.
That senior Christian said, "If I didn't trust in God, I wouldn't have the courage to live. So I advise you, Brother Zhao, don't leave the Lord!"
I hung up the phone and was lost in thought. I tell myself, no matter what I go through, not to be an ungrateful person in front of the Lord!
(The original article is published by the Gospel Times and the author is a Christian in Liaoning.)
-Translated by Nicolas Cao
因某种原因，很长时间没有聚会了。
前几天，接到了一个教会的老姊妹（会计）打来的电话。
她语重深长地说道:“赵弟兄！我希望你能回教会，我担心你总不聚会，会慢慢远离了主，失去属天的祝福……”为了挽回我的心，老姊妹讲了自己家庭的经历。
老姊妹说，她原来的家庭条件特别好，老两口拿着高额退休金，一个儿子也在国营单位上班。却没有想到，儿子结交了一些不三不四的朋友，居然染上了毒瘾。不但工作没有了，年轻的妻子也抛下孩子远走他乡，音信皆无。留下的小孙子只能由老姊妹夫妇照顾，不久老伴去世了。不争气的儿子变得更加无拘无束，经常外出，一走很长时间，电话也打不通。悲痛欲绝的老姊妹，在走投无路的时候，信了主。
老姊妹挂念杳无音信的儿子不断祈求，终于有了消息。但这不是一个好消息，是公安机关打来的。她的儿子由于吸毒等多重问题被抓起来了，可能会被判刑。不仅如此，老姊妹还知道了另外一个坏消息。他的儿子把自己居住的楼房，背着自己早已经抵押给了银行贷了款……
这突如其来的一连连串坏消息，让老姊妹无力承受。她跪下来苦苦哀求，希望事情能有个转机。
她巴望着儿子的处境能好起来，孙子能有个着落。因为自己快八十岁的人了，万一哪天离开，十几岁的孙子怎么办？
想起这些，老姊妹便不由自主地流泪祈祷。很快有了一个好的消息，失踪很久的儿媳妇出现了，她把自己的儿子接走了，另外败家的浪子也终于回头了。虽然儿子的刑期很长，恐怕今生不会有团聚的一天，但能看到自己儿子洗心革面，重新做人，这已经让她很感恩了。
老姊妹说:“如果没有信仰作为我的依靠，我连活下去的勇气都没有了。所以我劝你，赵弟兄啊，可不能离开主啊！”
挂断电话，我陷入了沉思。我告诫自己，无论经历什么，都不要成为一个忘恩负义的人！
注：本文为特约/自由撰稿人文章，作者系辽宁一名基督徒。
八旬老姊妹讲述亲身经历 劝我莫冷落信仰
For some reason, I haven't attended a church meeting for a long time.
A few days ago, I received a phone call from a senior female Christian (accountant) from the church I often went to.
She said sincerely, "Brother Zhao! I hope you can go back to church because I am afraid that you will slowly drift away from the Lord and lose the blessings of heaven because of your frequent absence from gatherings." In order to persuade me, that elderly believer told me the story of her family.
She said that her family was quite comfortable. She and her husband had high pensions, and her son was also working for a state-owned company. But she never expected that her son would make some shady friends who would make him addicted to drugs. Not only did he lose his job, but his young wife left their child and went away without any message. Her young grandson was left in the care of her and her husband, who died soon after. Her disappointed son became more self-abandoned and often went out, and once he was gone for a long time, no one was able to contact him. The grief-stricken senior woman, in desperation, started to believe in the Lord.
She kept praying for her son, who had not been heard from, but finally, she got the news, which was not a good one. It was a call from the police. Her son had been arrested and might face charges for a variety of issues, including drug use. Worse, the aged Christian also learned that her son had already mortgaged her house to the bank for a loan.
The sudden succession of bad news was too much for her to bear. She got down on her knees and begged for a change.
She hoped that her son's situation would get better and that her grandson would have someone to care for. Because she is almost 80 years old, if one day she dies, who will care for her teenage grandson?
Thinking of this, she could not help crying and praying. Soon, there was good news. Her daughter-in-law, who had been gone for a long time, showed up to take her son away. Her prodigal son also finally turned back. Although her son had been sentenced to be jailed for many years (there might not be a reunion day for her and her son in this life), it has made her very grateful to see her son start over.
That senior Christian said, "If I didn't trust in God, I wouldn't have the courage to live. So I advise you, Brother Zhao, don't leave the Lord!"
I hung up the phone and was lost in thought. I tell myself, no matter what I go through, not to be an ungrateful person in front of the Lord!
(The original article is published by the Gospel Times and the author is a Christian in Liaoning.)
-Translated by Nicolas Cao
Advice From 80-Y-O Believer, Never be Away from Lord
